MARYLAND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS 2014- WHERE THEY STAND AND HOW THEY VOTED BY RUTH KING….SEE NOTE PLEASE
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/maryland-2014-candidates-for-congress-where-they-stand
FSM’S LISTING IS UNBIASED AND NON PARTISAN…..RSK
MY CHOICES ARE UNDERLINED AND IN RED….AND I INCLUDE THEIR RANKINGS WHEREVER RELEVANT BY THE ARAB AMERICAN INSTITUTE
Filing is complete for major parties
Primary: June 24, 2014
To see the actual voting records of all incumbents on other issues such as Foreign Policy, Second Amendment Issues, Homeland Security, and other issues as well as their rankings by special interest groups please use the links followed by two stars (**).
U.S. SENATE
Barbara Mikulski (D) Next election is in 2016
Ben Cardin (D) Next election in 2018
________________________________________
U.S. CONGRESS
District 1
Andy Harris M.D.(R) Incumbent ****
http://www.andyharris.com/
http://www.ontheissues.org/house/Andy_Harris.htm **
Rated -4 by AAI, indicating a anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE
America’s healthcare system was broken before the President’s healthcare law was passed, and sadly that law has only made things worse. Healthcare costs are still rising and some Americans are struggling to have access to the care they need.
The President’s healthcare law claimed to want to tackle those problems, but sadly the law fails to fix the problems. The law puts healthcare decisions in the hands of government bureaucrats and insurance companies rather than doctors and patients. With the Supreme Court decision earlier this year, the health reform law is also one of the biggest tax increases in our nation’s history. The law also cuts Medicare by over 500 billion dollars.
I support replacing the President’s healthcare law with other common sense reform measures, like increasing competition between insurance companies by allowing competition across state lines, tax deductibility of 100% of medical costs, expanding health insurance savings accounts and other measures that allow you to be in control of your health care decisions.
As a health care specialist, I am committed to repealing Obamacare and replacing it with patient-centered, affordable health care reforms. Although not perfect, the United States of America has the best health care in the world. Let’s keep it that way.
ENERGY
Energy independence should be a priority in formulating American energy policy. With the prices at the pump having almost doubled in the last three years, American families are making tough choices every day to make their budgets work. An energy independent United States of America is safer and more secure and cannot be subjected to the whims of Middle Eastern oil brokers.
American energy policy should include exploring and obtaining the vast amounts of natural gas and oil reserves within our own borders in an environmentally safe and conscientious manner. We also need to find new and clean alternative sources of energy.
The United States has plentiful natural resources that are currently off limits to exploration and production. It is time to bring these resources online in an environmentally responsible way to reduce American dependence on foreign sources of energy. In addition to producing more energy within the United States, we need to implement policies that allow us to get energy from our friendly neighbors. That is why I am on record as fully supporting the Keystone pipeline project that will bring good paying jobs to Americans and expand our oil supplies.
IMMIGRATION AND THE DREAM ACT
My parents legally immigrated to the United States after World War II to escape communism which was descending over Eastern Europe. Individuals who have legally immigrated to the United States have helped make America great. While legal immigration helps improve America, illegal immigration is causing widespread issues and an insult to Americans who waited in line and came here legally.
Citizens across the United States are fed up with widespread illegal immigration, and it is no longer an isolated problem for border states. We need to enforce the immigration laws we have and not randomly select what laws the federal government will enforce. I support fully securing our border.
In the Maryland Senate, I voted against the Dream Act, a policy that gives discounted and taxpayer subsidized in-state college tuition rates to students who are not here legally. I will also oppose this measure that has been talked about in Washington DC. Legal residents of Maryland have a hard time affording college in these tough economic times. I do not support giving tuition discounts to students who are not legally present in Maryland or the United States.
Jonathan Goff Jr. (R) – Challenger
http://www.goff-congress.com/
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE
They passed the bill and they did not even read it. Washington is forcing Obamacare on the American people, but they are exempt from it. While they get free healthcare, dental and other amenities, “we the people” have to figure out how to pay for it.
Obamacare (The Affordable Care Act) is not affordable and needs to be repealed.
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
80% of America’s energy comes from America, leaving 20% outsourced. The remaining 20% is manipulating our fuel prices. If our Government can allow private oil companies to extract oil on America’s lands and waterways, refine it and reach record profits, then why can’t we have our Government extract and refine American owned oil and sell it only to American owned businesses and citizens with no loop holes.
John LaFerla M.D(D) – Challenger
http://www.johnlaferla.com/issues
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE
In contrast to House Republicans who voted 50 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act with no plan to replace it, I believe the “ACA” can be a step in the right direction if we constantly work to improve it. Previously, access to affordable healthcare insurance has simply been out of reach for some 50 million Americans. The “ACA” is already improving the lives of many families in our district and will do even more as it becomes fully implemented. Insurance companies can no longer deny people coverage for a pre-existing condition, or take care away when they get sick. No longer will millions of Americans forego care, or lose their life’s savings to pay for it. And women no longer have to pay more for the same health coverage.
We must now turn our attention to the issue of cost. In recent decades, health care costs have increased at a pace exceeding general inflation. This means that it is taking a larger share of our total budget every year. If unchecked, health care expenditure increases pose a threat to our entire economy. As a physician and as a public health practitioner, I have first-hand experience in identifying costs that can be reduced while maintaining high quality care.
Reproductive Health Care:
I believe that every man and woman has a basic right to determine if and when to have children. To enable this right, everyone should have access to preventive care, and to the kind of accurate health care information that allows them to make responsible decisions. In addition, the difficult decisions that sometimes need to be made should be a private matter between the woman, her family, her faith, and her doctor – not the government.
ENVIRONMENT
Our Environment:
• Confronting climate change may be the most important issue of our generation
• We must create clean energy jobs, with a full-spectrum focus on every energy opportunity including renewables
• The US energy grid is outdated, vulnerable, and needs major improvements
• Our beautiful Chesapeake Bay must be restored and protected
Bill Tilghman (D) – Challenger
http://billtilghman.net/issues.html
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE
The Affordable Care Act
• Since the Affordable Care Act was enacted, Congress has tried numerous times (40 at last count) to repeal it. Our current congressman, Andy Harris, voted in favor of repeal every time. What Congress should do instead is to make adjustments to what is admittedly a complex and sprawling program and make it better.
ENVIRONMENT
Global warming is real and I support taking steps to actively address green house gases. America has two environmental success stories that we can build on. We reduced acid rain by 50% since the 1990s using a cap and trade system, which is still very much in effect today. The CAFE standards for the automotive industry have gradually increased fuel efficiency for all automobiles and light trucks and even created new kinds of vehicles – hybrid and electric. There is wide, across-the-board support for these initiatives and no call for their repeal. The key to both is a limited role for government in establishing standards, leaving the greatest possible freedom for private industry to innovate to achieve mandated targets. Carbon emissions can and should be addressed using both of these approaches. We should start by looking at coal fired power generation and ways to encourage converting these plants to natural gas.
IMMIGRATION
• With 11 million undocumented immigrants in our country, it is not realistic to think that we could solve the problem by deporting them. The facts are that undocumented immigrants work here, have roots here and many of their children are already lawful Americans. The call for comprehensive immigration reform simply acknowledges these facts.
• Having such a large number of undocumented workers is not good for our economy. For instance, local tradesmen in the 1st District have pointed to unfair competition from businesses which employ undocumented workers — because these businesses underpay them to begin with and illegally avoid paying social security/health care withholdings. This gives a business that is willing to look the other way a substantial advantage over its law-abiding competitors. The large pool of undocumented labor undercuts American workers trying to rise into the middle class.
• As provided in the Senate bill, I am in favor of building on the existing momentum to secure our borders, not just for immigration purposes, but also to enhance domestic security. The E-Verify program, which verifies employment eligibility, should be rolled out nationwide. Guest worker programs for seasonal work should be expanded.
• Finally, we must favor the immigration status of individuals who would bring special training and skills needed by American employers, particularly in the high tech sector.
District 2
C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger (D) Incumbent
http://ruppersberger.house.gov/
http://www.dutchforcongress.com/
http://www.ontheissues.org/house/dutch_ruppersberger.htm **
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Congressman Ruppersberger supports energy legislation that decreases greenhouse gas emissions, reduces our dependence on foreign oil, expands the development of alternative fuels, and creates American jobs in the clean energy industry.
A staunch supporter of protecting and preserving the environment, Congressman Ruppersberger believes we must protect mother earth and especially the Chesapeake Bay, one of Maryland’s greatest natural treasures, for future generations to enjoy.
Voted against KeystoneXL Pipeline Without limiting amendments.
HEALTHCARE
Congressman Ruppersberger supported the health reform legislation that recently passed Congress and was signed by the President. H.R. 3962, the Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010, will make health care more affordable while reducing the federal budget by over $100 billion over the next ten years.
IMMIGRATION
Congressman Ruppersberger does not support illegal immigration and believes we need to make our borders more secure. He sponsored legislation that would fund the hiring of 2,000 new border patrol agents every year for the next five years.
Paul Rundquist (D) Challenger no website
Blaine Taylor (D) – Challenger no website
Dave Banach (R) – Challenger no website
District 3
John Sarbanes (D) Incumbent
http://sarbanes.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/house/John_Sarbanes.htm **
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE
The health insurance reform legislation marked a new direction for the country – away from the influence of powerful special interests and towards common sense solutions for America’s families.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The health care reform law is already providing lower costs and better health coverage for millions of Americans, including 105 million individuals who have received one or more free preventive services, such as check-ups and cancer screenings; 6.1 million seniors in the “donut hole” who have saved $5.7 billion on their prescription drugs; and 360,000 small business owners who have used the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit to help them afford health insurance for 2 million employees.
This landmark legislation also provides deficit savings of more than $1 trillion over the next two decades. These are just a few examples of how the health reform law is already empowering people to get access to affordable, quality health care and below are a few more detailed explanations of the positive impact health care reform is having on our country.
ENVIRONMENT
Sarbanes Receives “Friend of the National Parks” Award –
Sarbanes Receives 100% from Defenders of Wildlife –
Sarbanes Receives 100% From League of Conservation Voters –
Matthew Molyett (D) – Challenger
https://www.facebook.com/EveryoneForCongress
Mike Jackson (R) Challenger No website
Charles Long (R) Challenger
http://votesmart.org/candidate/150053/charles-long#.U0hCxFeCUtU
District 4
Donna Edwards (D) Incumbent
http://donnaedwards.house.gov/
Rated +4 by AAI, indicating pro-Arab pro-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)
http://www.ontheissues.org/house/Donna_Edwards.htm**
Voted against Keystone XL Pipeline.
Warren Christopher (D) Challenger
http://warrenchristopherforcongress.com/issues
I will be your servant leader in Congress to provide the leadership needed— to fight for the issues most important to our community and provide effective policies and legislation that improve the lives of the residents of the 4th Congressional District in the areas of Jobs/Economic Development, Education, Housing/Foreclosures, Seniors, Women’s Rights, Veterans, Returning Citizens, Environment and Immigration. I will ensure that we have a strong voice at the table.
Greg Holmes (R) – Challenger no website
Nancy Hoyt (R) Challenger
http://www.nancyhoyt.com/
• B.A. Biological Sciences University of Maryland, Baltimore County 1979
• M.A. Healthcare Administration, Central Michigan University 1983
Certification in Infection Control, C.I.C 1983-2018
HOT BUTTON ISSUE
HEALTHCARE
What has happened in this country is government through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a.k.a. Obamacare, is taking and has taken over the control of our lives, our bodies, our minds, our money, our jobs, our security, and our privacy. The ACA is a bureaucratic cancer that is destroying our healthcare system. The ACA improves neither access to healthcare services nor the quality of the healthcare that patients receive. What the ACA accomplishes is the replacement of personal choice by Government mandate.
Healthcare is a business and it comprises 1/6 of the U.S. economy. It is the most regulated industry in the American economy and it is an industry whose cost to deliver services is neither decided nor controlled by the doctors and the healthcare professionals that do the work. For every dollar that gets spent on healthcare, a significant portion of that dollar goes to cover the Government’s administrative and oversight costs, and the administrative costs of the insurance companies. Our Government has come to the conclusion that access to healthcare is the same as access to health insurance. Our Government has also come to the conclusion that access to healthcare insurance ensures access to low-cost, quality healthcare and that healthcare is best run by Government bureaucrats. This is a false conclusion.
Since the ACA was passed in 2009 and enacted in 2010, it has become quite clear that the Federal Government is too big to succeed when it comes to controlling the most private and personal aspects of our lives. The ACA with its amendments was 2045 pages long; there are over 20,000 pages of regulations for its implementation; it includes 21 new taxes; and after 4 years, the Government cannot make this law work for the American people. It is clear that Obamacare needs to be repealed or systematically amended according to our constitution, and not through executive orders and bureaucratic process. It is time to downsize the Government’s control of our healthcare and our lives and let the doctors and healthcare providers determine the business models that will improve both the access to healthcare services and the quality of healthcare delivery and return the control of our lives back to us.
George McDermott (R) Challenger
District 5
Steny Hoyer (D) Incumbent House Minority Whip
http://www.hoyerforcongress.com/
https://hoyer.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/house/Steny_Hoyer.htm **
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE
Strong support for Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
The new health reform law will help slow the growth of costs, end the practice of denying coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, and ban annual and lifetime limits on health coverage benefits. Parents are now able to keep their children on their health care plans until they are 26 and over 4 million of America’s small businesses are now eligible for tax credits to help pay for employee coverage. The law makes prescription coverage for seniors more affordable and makes Medicare stronger, by extending the program’s solvency by an additional 12 years.
In recent years, Congressman Hoyer has also voted for measures prohibiting insurance companies and employers from discriminating against people on the basis of genetic test results and eliminating discriminatory provisions against patients seeking treatment for mental illnesses.
Congressman Hoyer has also fought to protect our children by working to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which currently provides health insurance for more than 7 million children. Further, he’s supported increased oversight to help protect the health of American consumers, including voting to improve food safety efforts and supporting a new law that allows FDA regulation of tobacco.
ENERGY
Congressman Hoyer believes strongly in the environmental, economic and national security benefits of reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil and bolstering our clean energy economy. He has supported legislation to improve energy efficiency to save families and businesses money, spur innovation and create good-paying jobs, lessen our reliance on foreign energy, and reduce the carbon pollution that causes global warming.
Opposes construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.
ENVIRONMENT
Congressman Hoyer strongly supports environmental standards that keep our land, air and water clean. He has supported every major environmental bill since he was elected to Congress. Congressman Hoyer has secured millions of federal dollars to clean up the Chesapeake Bay and the Patuxent, Potomac, Anacostia, and St. Mary’s Rivers, and to replenish the oyster population of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
Mark Arness M.D. (R) – Challenger
http://www.arnessforcongress.com/
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE
The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care act is a shameful travesty perpetrated on America. I will fight tooth and nail to have it revoked, or at the very least revised into some more palatable format. Obamacare is a national disaster; your current representative blames us for ‘failing to engage with our health care plans’! He also voted NO on bill to repeal the wasteful ‘Prevention and Public Health slush fund’ which pours $2 Billion annually into a pot of money with no Congressional oversight for Obamacare programs to spend at will on enforcing tax penalties and failing to improve our health care! One in three Americans will lose their health care plans and be forced to replace their employer plans with lower tier substitutes. Our President promised, “You get to keep your plans!” What he didn’t mention was the price may be triple. Your current Rep stated in an address to Congress; “We brought you the Affordable Health Care Act; we never said we had to make the insurance companies offer you a specific plan! If you don’t get the paln you want, it’s your fault for not choosing the right one!” That’s right folks; he blames his own constituents for the failures of UN-affordable health care!
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
I recognize the need to preserve our natural resources for our own use and enjoyment and for future generations. I fully support the proposed LNG facility in Calvert County: with proper oversight, LNG will be a safe, valuable business. I support clean air and water initiatives to clean up the Bay and insure wildlife preservation for posterity. We need responsible stewardship of our environment to insure that our community’s natural beauty endures for generations.
EDUCATION-COMMON CORE CURRICULUM
Yet another travesty perpetrated on America; this time the joke’s on our kids and that’s not funny! An absurdly complex “redefining” of reading, writing and ‘rithmetic, “common core” teaches kids how to count to 100 by ones and how to figure that four quarters is a dollar by adding up pennies. The rollout was flawed and our teachers are paying for it out of their own pockets; this is unacceptable. We need to allocate funds for education at home before we send money to Nairobi and Kampala! I will fight to get funds for sensible education programs for our children; they deserve the best!
Chris Chaffee (R) Challenger
http://www.chrischaffeeforcongress.com/
Tom Potter (R) Challenger
http://www.tompotterforcongress.com/
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
TAXES
I’m for a fair, flat tax. Every American should have a hand in paying taxes and no one should pay more of their income to the federal government than another. Just because a man or woman has had success, the shouldn’t be punished because of it. Success used to be a goal; men and women that were successful were mentors and role models. We can learn a lot from their successes. Conversely, a person who doesn’t make much money should not be punished for their short comings, but helped by getting government out of their pockets and the pockets of those who could employ them.
ENERGY
Why has it taken so long for the Keystone Pipeline??? Solyndra et al. Research and development is one thing, but billions of dollars wasted for Democrat cronies is unacceptable.
HEALTHCARE
The President called the Affordable Care Act “Obamacare” and it’s his signature piece of legislation.
Whatever. Justice John Roberts and his court said that it’s Constitutional and the Constitution allows for it to be paid for with the largest tax increase in modern history. Passed by the Democratically controlled House and Senate, this law has proven to be polarizing, expensive, unsafe and poorly implemented. Call it what you want; it’s an unmitigated disaster, a fraud perpetrated on the American public under duplicitous circumstances. In essence, they lied to pass it and keep lying to justify it. Steny voted for it, continues to support it and has doubled down on it.
I’m for repeal.
IMMIGRATION
I’m for e-verify, fines for employers who employ illegal aliens and for putting soldiers at the Mexican border.
I stand with FAIR (Federation for American Immigration Reform) and USBC (U.S. Border Control)
Headline: The 1965 Immigration Act: Anatomy of a Disaster
Source: Front Page Mag
Date: December 10, 2002
By: Ben Johnson
District 6
John Delaney (D) Incumbent
http://delaney.house.gov/
http://www.delaneyforcongress.com/
http://www.ontheissues.org/house/John_Delaney.htm**
Voted against the KeystoneXL Pipeline wihtou limiting amerndments
Dan Bongino (R) – Challenger
http://www.bongino.com/
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
TAXES
The current tax code is bloated and inefficient. America needs and deserves comprehensive tax reform that lowers rates, broadens the tax base, and eliminates deductions that only benefit crony-capitalists. A simpler and fairer tax code will incentivize both domestic and international businesses to make investments here at home, which will lead to job growth.
I support the Fair-Tax, which is currently sitting in Congress awaiting the necessary legislative push. The Fair-Tax would do the following:
• Dramatically increase your take-home-pay
• Eliminate big-business cronyism
• Provide predictability for families and businesses
• Allow the less-fortunate to keep what they earn
IMMIGRATION
I am the proud husband to an immigrant to the United States from Colombia. My wife, Paula, is a shining example of the importance of legal immigration. Immigrants not only enrich our culture and diversity, but they also add wealth to our nation through human capital and innovation. However, breaking the law is unacceptable. That is why securing the border to stop trespassing and narco-trafficking should be a national priority. At the same time, we must also streamline the legal immigration process for those immigrants willing to relocate to the United States legally.
Encouraging the international migration of capital and innovation to the United States is imperative, but it must be done through an orderly and legal process. We are a country of laws and providing incentives to circumvent those laws will do irreparable damage to our system of governance.
ENERGY
The need to reduce our prices at the pump and our dependence on foreign oil is not just an economic issue, it is also a national security issue. We can increase our domestic sources of energy through environmentally responsible energy production. Domestic energy production will not only help reduce gas prices, it will also lead to an increase in job creation. Renewable energy sources such as wind, and solar should be allowed to compete in the free market without government involvement or interference.
Western Maryland is home to abundant energy resources that could dramatically improve the economic condition of our state and simultaneously revitalize our infrastructure, schools and public services. Denying Western Marylanders the right to choose to develop these resources, as the current administrations at the state and federal level have, is unacceptable.
Harold Painter (R) Challenger
http://www.thesentinel.com/mont/Painter-joins-race2-6-2014
District 7
Elijah Cummings (D) Incumbent
http://cummingsforcongress.com/
https://cummings.house.gov/contact-me
http://www.ontheissues.org/house/Elijah_Cummings.htm **
http://cummingsforcongress.com/2014/03/27/la-times-cummings-dems-push-to-end-congressional-benghazi-probe/
LA Times: Cummings & Dems Push To End Congressional Benghazi Probe
Voted against the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments
Strong advocate of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
Bryant Alexander (D) Challenger
No website
Fred Dickson Jr. (D) Challenger
No website
Ray Bly (R) Challenger
http://www.raybly.com/
District 8
Chris Van Hollen, Jr. Incumbent
http://vanhollen.house.gov/
http://www.vanhollen.org/
http://www.ontheissues.org/house/Chris_Van_Hollen.htm **
• Endorsed by
• The Washington Post
• The Gazette
• Washington Jewish Week
• Clean Water Action
• National Association of Social Workers
• National Education Association Fund
• National Organization for Women PAC
• Ocean Champions (formerly Congressional Chesapeake Bay Watershed Caucus)
• Planned Parenthood Action Fund
• Sierra Club
Strong supporter of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
Opposed to the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments
George English (D) Challenger
http://georgetenglish.com/
Dave Wallace (R) Challenger
Website under construction
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